Why K-Beauty Is Outpacing the U.S. Beauty Industry (by Rachel Brown, Beauty Independent)
[Originally Posted On Beauty Independent by Rachel Brown]
According to market research firm NielsenIQ, K-Beauty sales in the United States skyrocketed 37.2% in the 52 weeks ended Aug. 9 to reach $2 billion, driven by innovative ingredients like snail mucin and fermented extracts, affordable luxury positioning and TikTok Shop. Meanwhile, market research firm Circana estimates the American beauty industry registered single-digit growth in the first nine months of this year.
South Korea’s cosmetics prowess is transforming the global beauty market. In an article on the South Korean conglomerate Amorepacific’s transformation from domestic stalwart to export powerhouse, The New York Times points out that “South Korea surpassed the United States to become the world’s second-largest cosmetics exporter, after France, in the first half of 2025. Cosmetics exports surged 15% in the six-month period, to a record $5.5 billion, fueled by growth in the United States and Europe, according to data from the South Korean government.”
There are plenty of South Korean beauty brands and retailers intent on keeping K-Beauty top of mind among American consumers. Riding the latest K-Beauty wave, Olive Young, the biggest beauty retailer in South Korea with over 1,300 stores, is slated to make its U.S. retail debut in May with Los Angeles area stores in Pasadena and Century City, with additional store openings to follow in 2026.
Speaking to Beauty Independent last month, Krupa Koestline, cosmetic chemist and founder of KKT Labs, argued that a big reason for the difference in growth between K-Beauty and beauty’s homegrown industry is South Korean brands’ willingness to take risks. As an example, she mentioned VT Cosmetics’ Reedle Shot, which is compared to “microneedling in a bottle,” containing so-called micro-needles made from silica. She says, “I can’t imagine an American brand taking that risk.”
To unlock future growth, Beauty Independent is wondering if the U.S. beauty industry should pull from K-Beauty’s successes. So, for this edition of our ongoing series posing questions relevant to indie beauty, we asked 10 contract manufacturers, consultants and cosmetic chemists the following: What’s the South Korean beauty industry doing that American companies should be emulating? What constraints—regulatory, cultural, business-related or otherwise—might prevent U.S. beauty companies from making those changes? For companies willing to try, could K-Beauty strategies be implemented practically?
"At Allure Beauty Concepts, we’re inspired by K-Beauty’s curiosity and courage to innovate. It’s a reminder that great ideas come from being willing to experiment, to blend science and creativity together.
For U.S. manufacturers, the opportunity isn’t about copying that model, but adapting its spirit. We can take what makes K-Beauty so dynamic—the fast innovation cycles—ingredient storytelling and sensorial experience and bring it to life through American craftsmanship and partnership. That’s how we create real value for brands and, ultimately, for the people using their products."